OG Anunoby showing just how vital he is to Knicks since returning from injury

There are few players in the NBA that impact overall winning the way OG Anunoby does.After the Knicks came out sluggish Tuesday night and were outscored by four points in the first quarter, Anunoby was the catalyst for their dominant second quarter, when they outscored the Raptors by 21 points en route to their 117-101 win in Toronto, earning them a spot in the NBA Cup semifinals.“OG, he was all over the place,” Josh Hart said after the game.“He really helped start that run and then we were able to get stops, play fast, get out in transition and play to our strength.

Huge shoutout to him, really changed the tide of the game.” “All over the place” is a perfect way to describe Anunoby’s impact.With a quiet and subdued personality, he prefers to stay away from the limelight off the court.

But on the court, he makes his presence felt in all facets of the game.The Knicks held their own in the nine games Anunoby missed with a hamstring strain, going 6-3.But in the three games since he has returned — in which they went 3-0, two of which were against current playoff teams — it has been evident how much better they are with Anunoby on the court.The numbers are eye-popping.Since the Knicks acquired him from the Raptors during the 2023-24 season, they are 76-36 in the regular season when Anunoby plays, good for a .679 winning percentage.

Without Anunoby, they are 25-20 in that same time span — good for a .556 winning percentage.This year, the Knicks are 11-4 with Anunoby, representing a .733 winning percentage.Their 6-3 record without him was good for a .667 winning percentage.Digging further into the Knicks’ efficiency numbers with Anunoby on and off the court paints a clearer picture of where Anunoby is most valuable.The Knicks have averaged 124.3 points per 100 possessions with Anunoby on the court compared to 123.3 without Anunoby on the court this season, according to Cleaning the Glass.

So, they are slightly better offensively with Anunoby.But ...